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Mission Gaganyaan 2025: Why are Indian scientists sending 20 fruit flies to space?


Published on 2025-02-13 23:22:19 - MSN
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  • India's Gaganyaan mission will send Indian astronauts to space with 20 fruit flies due to their 77% gene similarity to humans. This experiment, involving UAS-Dharwad and IIST Thiruvananthapuram, aims to understand kidney stone formation in microgravity,

The article from MSN discusses India's ambitious space mission, Gaganyaan, set for 2025, which aims to send humans into space. As part of this mission, Indian scientists are planning to send 20 fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) into space to study the effects of microgravity on biological organisms. Fruit flies are chosen due to their well-understood genetics and short life cycle, making them ideal for experiments on genetic changes, radiation effects, and adaptation to space conditions. This experiment will help in understanding how space travel might affect human physiology, particularly in terms of muscle and bone density loss, immune system changes, and other health issues astronauts might face. The data collected could be crucial for ensuring the safety and health of astronauts on long-duration space missions.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-in/science/biology/mission-gaganyaan-2025-why-are-indian-scientists-sending-20-fruit-flies-to-space/ar-AA1z1nH6 ]